U.S. patent application number 15/627923 was filed with the patent office on 2018-12-20 for remote overhead anchor system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Meyer Ostrobrod. Invention is credited to Meyer Ostrobrod.
Application Number | 20180361176 15/627923 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 64656478 |
Filed Date | 2018-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180361176 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ostrobrod; Meyer |
December 20, 2018 |
Remote Overhead Anchor System
Abstract
A remote overhead anchor system for use at an elevated overhead
position and adapted to be secured to a ring or similar anchor
point includes a substantially U or C shaped hook with two ends,
one of which is adapted to pass through the anchor point to secure
the hook to the anchor point. A latch is pivotally connected
adjacent the other end of the U and can move between a closed
position wherein it engages the first end and an opened position
wherein it is spaced therefrom and a spring biases the latch into
the closed position. To prevent the latch from unintentionally
opening, a lock mechanism is carried by the other end of the U
shaped hook and engages the lever. A conically shaped receiver
secured to the hook faces downwardly to receive the upper end of an
elongated vertically extending pole. A manually operable remote
actuator including a cord extending downwardly from the anchor
substantially the length of the pole is adapted to first unlock the
lock mechanism and then subsequently move the latch into its opened
position.
Inventors: |
Ostrobrod; Meyer;
(Philadelphia, PA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ostrobrod; Meyer |
Philadelphia |
PA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
64656478 |
Appl. No.: |
15/627923 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A62B 35/0075 20130101;
E06C 7/18 20130101; A62B 35/0068 20130101; A62B 35/0093 20130101;
A62B 1/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A62B 1/10 20060101
A62B001/10; A62B 35/00 20060101 A62B035/00; E06C 7/18 20060101
E06C007/18 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. The anchor system as claimed in claim 8 further including a
separate elongated vertically extending pole having an upper end
and a receiver secured to said hook and facing downwardly to
receive said upper end of said elongated vertically extending
pole.
3. The anchor system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said receiver
and upper end of said pole are so constructed such that rotation of
the pole causes said hook to rotate.
4. The anchor system as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least a
portion of said receiver is conically shaped in order to guide said
upper end of said pole into said receiver.
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. (canceled)
8. A remote overhead anchor system for use at an elevated overhead
position and adapted to be secured to an anchor point comprising: a
substantially U or C shaped hook including a first leg having a
first free end and a second leg having a second free end, said
first free end being adapted to pass through said anchor point to
secure said hook to said anchor point; a latch pivotally connected
adjacent said second free end and adapted to move between a closed
position wherein said latch engages said first free end and an
opened position wherein said latch is spaced from said first free
end; spring means biasing said latch into said closed position;
locking means carried by said second free end and being movable
between a locked position for maintaining said latch in said
latch's closed position and an unlocked position wherein said latch
can be moved into said latch's opened position, said locking means
including a lever having an upper end and a lower end, said upper
end of said lever being pivoted to said hook, said lever further
including a slot therein and wherein said latch includes a pin
extending into said slot and movable along the length of said slot,
said slot including a first leg and a second leg and wherein said
latch is locked when said pin is in said first leg and wherein said
latch is capable of moving when said pin is in said second leg;
manually operable remote actuator means for moving said latch into
said latch's opened position, said actuator means including a
pulley carried by said latch and a knob with an opening therein
secured to said locking means, said actuator means further
including a cord having a first end secured to said knob, said cord
then passing around said pulley and extending downwardly through
said opening in said knob, said cord having a second free end
extending downwardly, whereby a downward force on said free end of
said cord causes said locking means into said unlocked position and
subsequently moving said latch into said opened position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed toward a remote overhead
anchor and more particularly, toward such a remote overhead anchor
adapted to be secured to a ring or other overhead anchor point to
support a worker along with a personal fall arrest or protection
system and which cannot accidentally disconnect from the overhead
anchor point.
[0002] When a workman is working in high places in buildings and
other structures, OSHA and the safety rules and regulations in most
states and foreign countries require the use of a personal fall
arrest or protection device. Such devices protect a workman from
injury by quickly slowing and then stopping further downward motion
in the event the workman falls from an elevated position. Such fall
protection devices are, per se, well known in the art. See, for
example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,123 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,548, both
of which issued to the present applicant. The entire contents of
these prior parents are incorporated herein by reference.
[0003] In use, the workman wears a harness which is connected to a
retractable cable coming from the fall protection device. In order
for the system to operate properly, however, the cable must extend
downwardly from a position above (or at least at or near the
height) where the workman is working. This requires that either the
fall protection device or at least a pulley for the cable be
located at an elevated position above the workman.
[0004] Unfortunately, there are many situations where there simply
is no anchor or like in the vicinity of where the fall protection
device or cable pulley must be located. Frequently, there is
nothing present but overhead rafters or beams or similar
structures. A solution to this problem is to hang a strap over the
beam and use the strap as an anchor point. The strap is comprised
of a length of strong webbing or other flexible fabric material
that has a D-ring or O-ring at each end. One of the rings is larger
than the other. After the strap is hung over the beam, the smaller
ring is passed through the larger one. The smaller ring becomes the
anchor point.
[0005] A problem did exist as to how to get the strap in position
over the beam. Climbing a ladder to place the strap in position
creates more of a safety problem and obviously makes the situation
even more dangerous. This problem was solved by the current
inventor's invention of a remote anchor installation tool as
described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,469,025, the entire contents of which
is incorporated herein by reference.
[0006] With the ring or other anchor point in place, a long pole
(such as shown in the '025 patent) can be used to connect or remove
an anchor or hook which carries the fall protection device or the
cable from the fall protection device. While this, by itself, is
not a difficult task, safety rules require that there be a means
for preventing the anchor from inadvertently disengaging the anchor
point. Having a spring latch such as used in a carabiner or the
like is not sufficient. The rules require that the latch be locked
closed so that the anchor cannot inadvertently fall off. This
creates a difficult problem when the anchor is high above the
around.
[0007] A need exists, therefore, for a fall protection anchor that
makes it easy for a worker from the ground to quickly place the
same in position overhead and which makes it easy to remove the
same while still preventing the inadvertent disengagement of the
anchor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is designed to overcome the
deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of
the present invention to provide an overhead anchor system that can
be attached to and removed from an overhead ring or similar anchor
point from the ground.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide
such an anchor system which includes a locking member to prevent
the anchor from inadvertently opening when installed on the anchor
point.
[0010] It is a still further object of the present invention to
provide such an anchor system that includes a means for remotely
unlocking the locking member by a workman on the ground.
[0011] In accordance with the illustrative embodiments
demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention,
there is provided a remote overhead anchor system for use at an
elevated overhead position and which is adapted to be secured to a
ring or similar anchor point. The system includes a substantially U
or C shaped hook with two ends, one of which is adapted to pass
through the anchor point to secure the hook to the anchor point. A
latch is pivotally connected adjacent the other end of the U and
can move between a closed position wherein it engages the first end
and an opened position wherein it is spaced therefrom and a spring
biases the latch into the closed position. To prevent the latch
from unintentionally opening, a lock mechanism is carried by the
other end of the U shaped hook and engages the lever. A conically
shaped receiver secured to the hook faces downwardly to receive the
upper end of an elongated vertically extending pole. A manually
operable remote actuator including a cord extending downwardly from
the anchor substantially the length of the pole is adapted to first
unlock the lock mechanism and then subsequently move the latch into
its opened position.
[0012] Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention
will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is
shown in the accompanying drawings one form which is presently
preferred; it being understood that the invention is not intended
to be limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities
shown.
[0014] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the remote overhead
anchor of my invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but
showing parts removed for clarity;
[0016] FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the anchor being secured to a
ring or other overhead anchor point;
[0017] FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate the manner in which the locking
mechanism operates to prevent the hook from inadvertently
opening;
[0018] FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 illustrate the operation of the anchor
mechanism, and
[0019] FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of the top end of the
elongated vertical pole used to install and uninstall the anchor
system on the overhead anchor point.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like
reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to
designate like elements, there is shown in the FIGS. 1-11 a remote
overhead anchor constructed in accordance with the principles of
the present invention and designated generally as 10. The remote
overhead anchor system 10 is primarily designed to be connected to
a ring or other overhead anchor point such as shown at 12 in FIGS.
3-5. As will be discussed later, this is accomplished from the
ground or floor utilizing an elongated telescoping pole 13 as
described more fully in U.S. Pat. No. 9,469,025.
[0021] The anchor 10 is comprised of a substantially U or C shaped
hook 14 having first and second legs 16 and 18. The first leg 16
includes a first free end 20 that is adapted to pass through the
anchor point 12 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The second leg 18 also
includes a free end 22 that includes an opening or eye 24 through
which the fall protection equipment or the cable from the fall
protection equipment can be attached in the known manner.
[0022] A latch 26 is pivotally attached to the second free end 22
of the second leg 18 at pivot point 28. The latch 26 is adapted to
move between a closed position such as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10
wherein the upper end 30 thereof engages the first free end 16 of
the first leg 14 and an opened position such as shown in FIG. 11
which would allow the free end 20 to enter the anchor point 12 or
to be removed therefrom. The free end 20 of the first leg 16
includes a small hook or stop member 32 that prevents the lever 26
from traveling past the free end 20. A torsion spring means 35 (see
FIG. 2) biases the latch 26 into the closed position.
[0023] A locking means 36 carried by the second end 22 of the
second leg 18 of the hook 14 is movable between a locked position
such as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9 for maintaining the latch 26 in its
closed position and an unlocked position such as shown in FIGS. 7
and 10 wherein the latch 26 can be moved into its opened position.
It is, however, biased into the closed or locked position by the
coil spring 34.
[0024] As shown best in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the locking means 36 is
comprised of a lever 38 pivoted at pivot point 40 to the second leg
18 of the hook 14. The lever 38 includes a slot 42 formed therein
which includes an upper first straight leg 44 and a second lower
arcuate leg 46. The latch 26 includes a pin 48 which extends
through the slot 42.
[0025] As shown most clearly in FIG. 6, when the pin 48 lies in the
upper straight portion 44 of the slot 42, the lever 26 cannot open
inadvertently since the pin engages the bottom wall of the slot
portion 44. This is the locking position of the lock mechanism 36
discussed above. As the lever 38 moves toward the latch 26 (that
is, to the right as shown in FIG. 7), the pin 48 lies above the
lower curved section 46 of the slot 42. At this point, the pin 48
can move downwardly through the arcuate slot 46 to open the latch
26 as shown in FIG. 8.
[0026] The above movement is accomplished through the use of an
actuator means which is manually operable from a remote position.
The actuator includes an elongated cord 50 that extends downwardly
the entire length of the pole 13 so that it can be controlled by a
person standing on the floor beneath the anchor. A knob 52 is
secured to the bottom of the lever 36 and includes an opening 53
therein through which the cord 50 can pass upwardly. The upper end
54 of the cord 52 then passes around the pulley 56 that is secured
to the pin 48. The remote end 58 of the cord 50 is then fixedly
secured to the knob 52.
[0027] As a result of the foregoing arrangement, when there is no
downward force on the cord 50, the lever 38 is biased into its
outward position as shown in FIG. 9 by the spring 34 and the pin 48
lies in the upper slot portion 44 so that the latch 26 is locked.
When a downward force is applied to the cord 50, the lever 38 is
drawn to the right as viewed in FIGS. 7 and 10 so that the pin 48
moves into the unlocking position. Continued downward force on the
cord 50 draws the pin 48 downwardly into the slot portion 46
thereby opening the latch 26.
[0028] In order to accomplish all of the foregoing from the ground,
the anchor system includes a downwardly receiving conically shaped
receiver 60 that is secured to the hook 14. The elongated
vertically extending pole 13 engages the inner surface of the cone
60 so that the anchor system can be manipulated from the ground.
Preferably, the upper end of the pole 13 is non-round as shown at
64 so that it can engage a complementary slot within the receiver
60 thereby allowing the anchor system to be turned or otherwise
manipulated from the ground.
[0029] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes
thereof and accordingly, reference should be made to the appended
claims rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the
scope of the invention.
* * * * *